Shattered Hearts
by BrigillofRivendell
Summary: It's Steven's birthday and everyone's celebrating at Funland! However, an unexpected order from Garnet changes everything rather quickly. Now the Gems must go on a journey through the past, all the way back to the war with Homeworld, to figure out why one of their teammates refuses to talk to anyone. If they don't find out soon, hearts won't be the only things that shatter.
1. Chapter 1: An Unusual Birthday

**Here is my first ever story on the website. Hopefully everything works properly, since this is the third attempt to upload this story. Anyway, enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Steven Universe or any of its characters.**

* * *

"Happy birthday, Steven!"

Balancing an enormous cake between them, the Gems walked out of the kitchen and into the living room. Steven dropped the book he was reading and ran over to embrace them. In doing so, he slammed into Pearl, who dropped her side of the cake. Luckily, Garnet caught hold of it before there was frosting all over the floor. She held the entire thing aloft with one hand.

"Oops, sorry guys. I kinda just got really excited!"

"Hey dude, no big. See, the cake's totally fine. Until I get at it, that is." Amethyst grinned and lunged at the cake. Before she could reach it, though, Garnet used her free hand to grab the purple Gem by her head. Garnet set the cake down on the coffee table, but didn't let go of Amethyst. Everyone settled down onto the sofa. Steven looked over and saw Pearl's eyes were shiny with tears.

"Eighteen. You're all grown up." She took a big sniff in through her nose. Steven wrapped a muscled arm around Pear's thin figure.

"Don't cry, Pearl. Eighteen is just a blink in your guy's eyes." Steven smiled, looking down at the thin, pale Gem.

"Yes," Garnet said, "but these eighteen years have been the best ."

Both Pearl and Steven started bawling.

"Oh brother." Amethyst rolled her eyes. She pried Garnet's hand from her head and walked over to the kitchen. Her figure disappeared for a moment behind the counter, and then reappeared, carrying a knife. "Can we eat this thing now?"

"No," Garnet answered.

"Hey," Steven said as he wiped away some tears, "since it _is_ my birthday…" He threw a glance at Garnet.

"Right."

Standing up from the couch, Garnet's form began to shimmer. She blazed a brilliant white as a line split down the center of her body. Two small figures crashed down to the floor.

"Ugh. We can never land that quite right." Ruby stood up, brushing off some dirt. Sapphire floated onto the couch, elegant as ever.

"Good to see you guys!"

"Nice seeing you too, Steven." Sapphire smiled over at him. Recently, she'd been wearing her hair parted at the front, revealing her enormous eye. Pearl had been against it (she hates change) but Steven thought it was cool. Of course, Ruby was 100% for nearly anything Sapphire did.

"Ugh." Ruby moaned again, rubbing her forehead.

"Hate to interrupt whatever," Amethyst gestured towards Ruby, " _this_ is, but I would like to eat this cake before Steven turns nineteen!"

"Yeah! Oh man I can't wait to try this. It looks awesome. And familiar…" Steven suddenly jumped up from the couch and gasped in surprise.

"Steven! What's wrong!" Pearl sprang off the couch, her spear protruding halfway out of her gem.

"Oh my gosh! This is the cake from Unfamiliar Familiars! It looks just like they described it in the book! And not like in the… movie adaptation." Steven shuddered a bit thinking about that.

"Oh, yes! We made it just for you Steven," Pearl said, relaxing.

Amethyst handed him the knife she'd grabbed. With it, Steven cut pieces of cake for everyone, except Pearl, and sat back down on the sofa.

"So, what are we doing after this?" Steven asked, cake in his mouth.

"Funland," Sapphire immediately answered.

"Well, that's settled."

Everyone finished eating their cake and got ready to leave. Steven grabbed his wallet from his room and followed the others out the door. He pulled out his phone and dialed the number under _Dad_. It rang a few times until Greg picked up. Steven invited him to join them at Funland, to which Greg said,

"Oh no!"

"Dad! What is it?"

"Oh, I can't believe I forgot!"

"Forgot what?"

"Your birth- I mean, to get the mail! Bye gotta go I'll see you there!"

"Oh…kay?"

* * *

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

"Calm down."

"NO! THIS IS AWFUL! THIS IS TERRIBLE!"

"Ruby, it's okay."

"NO IT'S NOT!"

The former skee ball machine lay in a decimated heap. Ruby's gauntlet had made giant holes in it. Smoke poured from her feet. Sapphire stood nearby, trying to calm her down. Steven watched the commotion from nearby. He looked around nervously, hoping that Mr. Smiley didn't see. The last thing Steven wanted was another ban from Funland.

"Ruby, you missed one shot," Sapphire reasoned.

"IT BOUNCED OUT OF THE HOLE!"

"That is no reason to punch the machine. Ruby, I think it's time we fuse again. You're starting to get a little…unstable."

Ruby whipped around to face her. "NO SHI-"

"Ruby! There are children nearby. Will you just _come here?_ " Sapphire grabbed her by the arm and yanked her around the corner. Steven saw a flash of light, and Garnet stepped back out.

"Sorry about that," she said.

"Maybe that's enough fun for today," Steven decided. He and Garnet rounded up the others. They found Pearl playing a racing game, Amethyst asleep on a skee ball ramp, and Greg eating pizza. Everyone walked towards Greg van. They filed in, and Greg drove off.

"How 'bout we get some donuts? You know, since I wasn't there to have cake." Steven regretted telling his dad about the cake. All Greg had done was complain that he hadn't gotten any.

"Sounds good, Dad. Why don't we-"

"No. Stop the van."

A screech filled the air as Greg slammed his foot down on the breaks. All eyes turned to Garnet. She stared straight ahead, not a trace of panic on her face.

"Go to the temple."

Greg turned the van around and drove towards the beach. Everyone kept asking Garnet why they were going home, but she wouldn't answer. Although, her left did hand twitched as Greg turned down the road. He pulled up to the temple and shifted into park. The instant the wheels stopped turning, Garnet flew out of the door and ran towards the house. Pearl and Amethyst followed. Hesitating, Steven looked over at Greg. It would be rude to just leave him here. But Greg gave him a strained smile. "Go," he urged.

Steven shoved out of the van door and ran after the Gems. Over the years his legs had grown strong and powerful. He easily reached the house, barely breaking a sweat. With a quick shove, Steven opened the door. His gem glowed, ready to summon a shield if need be. He stopped inside the door, looking for danger.

Pearl and Amethyst stood in the living room, weapons drawn. Behind them, Garnet sat on the warp pad, back towards the door. Her body flickered and she muttered to herself and . Steven stepped forward. "Garnet?"

Her head whipped around. Steven gasped and covered his mouth. Garnet's face was mutilated, a blob of eyes and a twisted mouth. She moaned, then exploded in a flash of white light."

Two figures fell and hit the ground. Ruby smashed down onto the warp pad while Sapphire gently settled down on her knees. She glanced about nervously, almost waiting for something to happen. Her eye made contact with Steven, who stood, dumbfounded. He watched as Ruby pushed herself up, legs shaking. She rubbed her forehead and looked around. "Wha…"

Sapphire suddenly stood up and dashed over to the Temple door. While Ruby was still groggy from unfusing, and the other Gems were too shocked to move, the blue Gem opened her room and slipped inside without a word.

"What was _that?"_ Steven looked around at Pearl, Amethyst, and Ruby, expecting an answer. Everyone looked as confused as him, if not more so. Ruby seemed to reorient herself and stood up. She noticed the others standing, their weapons still out. Slowly, Amethyst de-summoned her whip and relaxed. Pearl did the same, and the two looked about nervously, expecting danger to attack at any minute. Not entirely sure what he should do, Steven crossed the distance to the warp pad and knelt down next to Ruby.

"Ruby? Is everything okay? What just happened? Is Sapphire-"

"Steven, just shut up!"

He did, and backed away from Ruby. She began to pace across the warp pad, but didn't burn the magical material it was made from. Seeing that he'd get no answers from her, Steven turned away from Ruby and faced Pearl and Amethyst. Both of them stared at the little red Gem, unsure of what to do now.

Eventually, Steven walked back towards the Temple. Making sure to give Ruby and the warp pad a wide berth, he stopped in front of the temple door. Tentatively, he raised his right arm up and clenched his hand into a fist, hovering it by the door. Steven knocked three times, causing an echoing _bang bang bang_ to dance through the house.

"Sapphire?" he called. No one answered. He tried again, only louder this time. Still the door remained shut, mocking him.

When he turned around, Steven jumped in shock. He hadn't notice Ruby leaving the warp pad and coming to stand behind him, but she had. "Let me try," she offered. Steven stepped aside and let her try knocking on the door.

"SAPPHIRE?"

No answer.

Growling in frustration, Ruby summoned her gauntlet and smashed it against the door. It made the entire house tremble on the foundation, but Sapphire didn't come out.

"RRRAH! What is she doing?" Ruby stormed away from the door, shoved passed Steven, Pearl, and Amethyst, and angrily flopped down on the couch. The upholstery started to steam, filling the house with the disgusting smell of burning cloth. Everyone watched warily, waiting to see if it would ignite into flames. It wouldn't be the first time.

Pearl walked over to Steven as Amethyst went into the kitchen. She opened the fridge and pulled out a cardboard box, which contained leftovers from dinner two nights ago. In one bite the entire container was gone. Steven turned back to Pearl, sighing.

"So, umm, do you have any idea what that was?"

Pearl shook her head. "Sometimes, Ruby and Sapphire get into fights, as you know." Steven nodded. He'd seen the two small Gems get into plenty of arguments in his life. No one liked to see them fight. Ever.

"Usually, though, we have some context about why they're bickering. And it normally isn't so unprompted like this." Pearl rubbed her forehead. She took a seat at one of the stools in the kitchen. Steven sat next to her.

"Has anything like this ever happened before?" Steven asked, glancing back at Ruby. Her body wasn't smoking anymore, but she still looked irritated.

Thinking for a moment, Pearl gestured with her hands as she talked. "I can only think of a handful of other times this has happened. Once a very long time ago, back during the war with Homeworld. The others I can't recall very well."

"What…what happened during the war?"

Pearl began to speak, but was cut off by a voice behind Steven.

"We unfused. Normally, while Sapphire and I are Garnet, if we unfuse, it's either a mutual agreement or sudden and uncontrollable. That time, though, Sapphire seemed to pull away from me. She was blocking Garnet's future vision, preventing us from talking or summoning a weapon, and pushing. Constantly pushing until I gave up control and let Garnet come undone. It's been quite some time since it happened and I'm trying to remember _why_ she gets this way. It...it's confusing being me again. My memories are hazy when they're on their own."

Once she was done, Ruby looked away from everyone and muttered to herself. Steven looked back at Pearl, wondering if there was more she would say. No one spoke and silence hung in the house, sending shivers up Steven's arm.

Amethyst finished eating the last thing in the fridge and walked over to Steven. She patted him on the back, although it was more like a painful slap. "Well, it's been a long day. I'm going to sleep. Happy birthday again, Ste-man." She walked over to the Temple door and went into her room.

Steven stood up, knocking over the stool as he did. Sometimes he couldn't keep track of his own limbs. Pearl looked up half-heartedly, and Ruby stole a quick glance to see what the noise had been, then continued to talk to herself.

"I think I'll go to bed too. It has been a long day. If anyone thinks it would be a good idea to tell me any more of that story, you know where I'll be." He crossed to the stairs, fell down on his blanket, and fell asleep instantly.

* * *

 **This chapter is a bit longer than what I intend for the others. I couldn't find a good way to break this one up without ending up with making two shorter chapters. Hopefully the story is enjoyable so far.**


	2. Chapter 2: A Step into the Past

**Here's the second chapter to this story. Partway through there's a flashback which I put in italics and into the present tense. Enjoy!**

* * *

"…last time she got like this…"

"I'm still trying to remember why…"

"…do we do?"

Steven woke to the sound of voices in the living room. He rolled out of bed and peered downstairs.

Amethyst, Pearl, and Ruby sat on the couch, talking in hushed whispers. Amethyst was eating some unknown substance while Ruby held a mug. Steven didn't know she drank coffee. Unsure if he should be listening, Steven quietly got up from his bed and purposely stepped on the squeaky stair as he descended. The Gems stopped talking and looked over at him. They watched as he made his way down to the living room.

"Mornin'"

"Good morning, Steven."

He sat down next to Amethyst. She silently offered him a half-eaten waffle, which Steven politely refused. Looking at everyone's faces, he could tell not much had been achieved while he slept. The room still felt awkward, so Steven pulled out his phone. On the screen, a little notification told him he'd missed a call from Dad last night. Steven didn't want to break the silence, so he sent a quick text instead.

 _"what's up?"_

His dad answered almost instantly, asking what had happened and if everyone was okay. Steven sent a short explanation back.

 _"we're ok. something weird happened with R & S fusion. don't know much else."_

Greg told Steven he hoped everything worked out, and that he'd call later. Steven turned his phone screen off. He looked around, hoping someone would say _something_. The lack of conversation was beginning to unnerve him. Eventually, Steven had to speak up.

"Will someone please _talk_ to me? I want to understand what's going on."

They all looked at Steven nervously, no one brave enough to talk first. The endless silence still hung in the air. Steven sighed and pleaded, "Please. Tell me what happened during the war. Maybe…maybe I can figure out why Sapphire's being this way."

Amethyst and Pearl turned to look at Ruby, whose face was twitching every now and again. She looked up and let out a long breath.

"Fine. Everyone get comfy though, my stories can take a while…"

* * *

 _It's been days since Sapphire got like this. Not talking to her, hiding away and scampering off anytime someone came near her. Ruby paces about, when a sudden flash appears from one of the warp pads. Standing in the beam of light is a tall figure in white, followed by a thin Gem with a pointy nose._

 _"Commander Rose! Lieutenant Pearl! You've returned."_

 _Rose glides over to Ruby, shadowed by Pearl, as always. She looks around the Galaxy Warp, their current base of operation. Several Gems mingle, carrying weapons or sparring with each other. The pink Gem's gaze stops on Sapphire, who sits alone behind one of the pillars. Rose sighs turns towards Ruby._

 _"Has she said anything to you at all? Any acknowledgment of anyone?_

 _Ruby shakes her head. Ever since last week, Sapphire wouldn't talk to her. One day, just as Garnet was practicing fighting for the upcoming battle with Homeworld, Sapphire suddenly shoved the fusion apart and ran off._

 _Rose comes over and kneels in front of Ruby. She looks sad. With one large hand, the commander gently patted Ruby on the shoulder._

 _"I hate to see my team fighting. And with what we've learned, Homeworld will be attacking in a few days. Having Garnet would be an important asset, but if Sapphire isn't willing to fuse, I'm not going to force her. It would be incredibly helpful if she was willing to share some of her visions with us."_

 _"Not very likely with how she's been acting. No one can get within ten feet of her before she dashes off elsewhere. I just wish she'd talk to me, you know? Tell me why she won't fuse or talk or communicate at all."_

 _Rose just nods slightly. The pink Gem stands back up and turns to Pearl. They exchange a few words Ruby can't hear and walk away. Ruby's body sags to the ground. She didn't know a Gem body could feel so tired when dealing with stress. Casting one last glance back at Sapphire, who still sat on the other side of the Galaxy Warp alone, Ruby turned on her side and closed her eyes. Maybe she could try this "sleeping" thing some other Gems had been talking about._

 _"This is stupid!" Ruby yells after five minutes of lying on the hard ground. Shoving herself up, Ruby gives one last look to Sapphire. She yelps in surprise when she sees Sapphire's big eye staring straight back at her. Tentatively, Ruby takes a step in her direction, afraid of scaring the blue Gem like a frightened rabbit. Sapphire just blinks and continues to look at her. Step after step Ruby inches closer and closer, until she was halfway to Sapphire. As if she'd suddenly ignited in flame, Sapphire jumps up from the rock she'd been sitting on and sprints away, no more than a blue blur._

 _"REALLY?"_

 _Ruby crosses her arms and falls to the floor. Unfortunately, she fails to notice the sharp stone just below her, and a spike of pain shoots up her leg. With a curse, Ruby kicks the rock and it goes flying, landing on the head of a yellow Gem. The look she gives Ruby is filled with rage._

 _Not caring, Ruby buries her face in her hands. Hot tears begin to pool in her eyes, and she blinks them away in puffs of steam. Why was Sapphire ignoring her? Had Ruby done something wrong? She thinks, but nothing comes to mind. Maybe Sapphire was just tired of Ruby. Maybe she didn't love her…_

* * *

The story suddenly stopped. Steven looked down and saw fresh tears in Ruby's eyes. Wrapping his arms around her, Steven spoke softly to the small Gem.

"Hey, don't think that. Of _course_ Sapphire loves you. She's always loved you. Don't put yourself down like that."

Despite being thousands of years older than him, Ruby slowly turned towards Steven and tightened her arms around him, using him as an anchor to keep her grounded. Steven grunted as she hugged him, crushing the air from his lungs. He laughed a little and joked, "Don't hug too tight or you'll end up poofing me."

Ruby smiled and let her arms drop back onto the couch. "Wouldn't want that," she said quietly.

Steven tensed as he felt sudden movement behind him. He turned around and saw Pearl standing up, pounding a fist into her open palm. Everyone looked up at her, confused.

"I've got it!" she declared triumphantly. "I think there's a pattern to all the times Sapphire has behaved this way."

Steven's eyes shone in excitement. Beside him, Ruby glanced up skeptically. Amethyst was busy chewing on an empty tin can.

"What is it Pearl?"

She sat back down, perching on the very edge of the couch and began to explain, her arms moving about with her words.

"I'm not entirely sure, but I can remember four other times this sort of argument has broken out, one being during the war. The other three times we were fighting different corrupted Gems. Each time all of our lives were in peril. Ruby, and this is all just speculation, I think Sapphire is trying to protect you."

Ruby blinked, confused. "Why would we unfuse if she wants to protect me? Garnet is much more capable of handling dangerous situations than we are alone. She's level headed and strong."

Shaking her head, Pearl explained further. "Not that kind of protection. She just doesn't want you to worry."

"About what?"

For a minute, Pearl thought silently to herself. Stroking her chin with long, thin fingers, Steven had to admit Pearl looked a bit over the top. Always one for a show.

"Why don't I try and explain by telling you what happened over 5 thousand years ago, on the same day Ruby was telling us about earlier."

"And how would that help?" Ruby said, clearly irritated.

Sweat began to form on Pearl's forehead. Steven didn't know Gems could sweat. Clasping her fingers together, Pearl simply answered, "Uuuuuuh…"

"I'm waiting."

With a deep breath, Pearl explained even further. "Later that day, when Rose was working on battle strategy in her personal quarters, I was standing guard outside. Obviously." Her pride was so blatant, Steven swore he could taste it. He decided that was a gross comparison.

"Late that evening, Sapphire came to the tent and asked if she could speak to Rose. Normally I would have refused and told her, 'Commander Rose is busy working on helping to save the Earth and save us all. You'll have to wait.' However, I knew Rose had been hoping to talk to Sapphire, so I let her in. I don't usually listen to other people's conversations-"

Amethyst scoffed. Shooting her a look, Pearl pretended to cough and continued her story.

"As I was saying, I figured this would be a rather important conversation, so I listened. This is what I heard…"


	3. Chapter 3: A Request

_Pearl stands alone in the crisp air of an Earth Autumn. Leaves danced through the air, golden brown and fiery red. One lands atop her head, unnoticeable except for it tousling her hair slightly. She doesn't pay it any heed, as all of her attention is on the voices softly drifting from the cave-like area Commander Rose had made into her private study. Rose's soft, sweet voice echoes off the rock and straight to Pearl._

" _Thank you for coming Sapphire. We had started to worry about you."_

" _Yes, I know."_

 _Pearl's grip tightens around the shaft of her spear. How dare Sapphire talk to Commander Rose that way? If not for the prospect of learning more, Pearl would storm in there and teach her about respect. Instead, she waits quietly for more._

" _Well, do you have any visions you'd care to share with me. We can use all of help that's available."_

" _Homeworld will attack tomorrow evening. They will bring a hundred transport ships with at least fifty soldiers apiece. There will also be twenty gunner ships, each with five fully functional cannons. Heading it all will be a mothership a third the size of this planet, two guard ships nearly as large, and two prisoner ships."_

 _Rose sighs deeply. "Can you see if any of the diamonds will be coming on the mothership?"_

" _I cannot tell. When I try, my vision goes blurry. Likely they are aware I am looking for the answer to this specific question and another Gem is blocking it."_

" _There are Gems that can do that?" Rose sounds surprised._

" _Yes."_

" _Right. Do you see anything of the battle itself. Where they'll land, what their strategy will be, how many we'll lose?"_

" _Their initial attack will land twenty of the smaller ships in the Strawberry field. From there the same blur that covers my attempt to see the Diamonds appears, and I struggle to see further than that. There are flashes of the battle I do see. It appears that Homeworld will take prisoners, and we will lose at least thirty warriors in just the first hour of battle."_

 _The air feels heavier as Pearl leans closer to the cave, desperate to hear everything. It seems as if they're done talking for now. Taking a moment to process all that Sapphire had said, Pearl slumps against the cold rock, sliding down until she sits on the ground._ "So many," _she thinks, shaking a little from fear. Was this really worth it? Was protecting Earth worth the lives of so many fellow Gems? Pearl doesn't know, but Rose insists that the life and beauty of this planet was valuable, and so Pearl would defend it to her death._

 _From the cave voices drift out once again. Rose sounds exhausted as she dismisses Sapphire._

" _Thank you for all you have shared. That is all."_

 _Waiting for the sound of footsteps, Pearl picks herself back off the ground and stands straight, spear held tightly in one hand. Instead of Sapphire leaving, though, Pearl hears the Gem's voice again. It's soft and fearful, nothing like the cold calculation from moments ago._

" _Commander Rose, I hate to bring this up but...but I was wondering if there is any way you could keep Ruby from the battle."_

" _Keep her from the battle?" Rose sounds confused. "Why would Ruby need to stay away from the battle? She's a strong fighter and we're going to need all the help we can get. Do...do you see her getting hurt."_

" _Not... no, I don't. But please, if there's any way to keep her from the fight I'd be eternally grateful."_

" _I make no promises. I can talk to Ruby and see if she will, but it seems like she'd listen to you more than me. You really ought to talk with her and stop avoiding any interaction. It's not healthy to have tension between comrades right before a war."_

" _I...I don't think I can. There's too much I've seen, none of which makes any sense. Emotions I didn't know I could feel have tormented me day and night, and the last thing I want to do is worry Ruby with any of it. It's my burden to bear. If you could talk to her, it'd be better for everyone."_

 _Rose sighs and says something softly. Pearl can't quite understand what she said, but it seemed like she agreed to talk to Ruby. Looking back up towards the sky, Pearl notices the first tendrils of sunlight licking across the serene landscape, casting long shadows across the leaf-covered ground. They have a day until Homeworld arrives. It doesn't seem likely Rose will find a chance to talk to Ruby at all._

* * *

"She did," Ruby interrupted. Heads turned away from Pearl and over to Ruby, who had gotten up from the couch and stood by the window, gazing out on the sun hanging lazily above the ocean, creating golden rays across the water. A flock of seagulls glided through the air, casting shadows in the sand. Ruby slowly turned to face everyone. Her right hand clutched the wooden frame, leaving burned marks the shape of her fingers.

"Rose told me, I mean. That evening, as I was sparring with several other Gems, she pulled me aside and asked if I was willing to step down from this fight. It seemed like a ridiculous request. Why would I have joined the Crystal Gems if I didn't want to fight against Homeworld? When I asked here where this was coming from, Rose avoided answering. She just said it was my choice, but she believed it was best if I stayed at the Galaxy Warp and defend our base. I chose to fight. If Sapphire had come to me instead, I would have stayed. But I was stubborn and hot headed-"

Pearl pretended to clear her throat.

"Fine. I _am_ stubborn and hot headed, and thought there was no way I could get hurt. That...wasn't the case."

"What ended up happening. During the fight, I mean?" Steven asked. "You guys have told me some of the story, but always leave out chunks. Did...did something happen with you and Sapphire?"

Pearl and Amethyst looked towards each other nervously, then glanced towards Ruby. The small Gem looked back out the window. Thick, black smoke curled from the floor below her feet and the wood frame. She sighed.

"Yeah, something did happen. It...it was during the fight with Homeworld. Sapphire and I were unfused, but both at the battle. Homeworld had just launched its first attack…"

* * *

 **Sorry for the abrupt ending. I'm trying to find a good chapter length and the breaks in the story are a bit awkward still.**


	4. Chapter 4: Battle Against Homeworld

_The sky is burning. What had recently been a midnight black burned orange and red, as fire rained down on the strawberry field. The fruit's red hue spreads all throughout as plants ignited in an all-consuming inferno. Shattered pieces of former Gems litter the ground. Breathing heavy, Ruby runs past fight after fight. Her feet occasionally crunch on gem shards and she must suppress screams of horror each time. Cries of rage and terror echo across the field as Homeworld and Crystal Gems alike fall to an opponent's blow. In the midst of battle, Ruby had lost track of Sapphire and the blue Gem was nowhere to be found. A pang of fear ripples through Ruby's tense body._

"Where is she?"

 _Nearby, Ruby spots Rose facing off against a hulking quartz gem wielding an enormous ax. It looks like a Jasper, but Ruby isn't sure. Slowing to a stop, she watches the two powerful gems face off. Even this far away, Ruby catches a glint of madness in the Homeworld Gem's eyes before she charges. Every muscle in her small red body tenses, waiting for the impact. The quartz is a hundred feet away. Now fifty. Now twenty. In a sudden flash of pale light, Pearl jumps out in front of Rose, her sword drawn. It's useless against the full force of the quartz's impact. Pearl vanishes in an explosion of white light. Her gem neatly falls to the ground. So far, it is unhurt._

 _Shaking her head, Ruby runs off. She can't waste time, not when Sapphire's life depends on it. What she needs to do is find Hyacinth, assuming the orange Gem hasn't been broken. Hyacinth is able to sense life forms by their specific brain patterns. She knows all the Crystal Gem's unique prints by hart and can hopefully find Sapphire. Locating Hyacinth in the chaos of battle is proving more difficult than expected._

 _Ruby runs around the edges of the battle, failing to drown out cries of Gems poof and crack all around._ "Find Hyacinth," _she thinks._ "Find Hyacinth."

 _But the Gem isn't on the battlefield. Ruby resorts to desperation and crawls on the ground, looking for orange or blue gem shards that may be Hyacinth or Sapphire. Still nothing. In a flash of light, a bolt of energy explodes the ground just in front of Ruby. It's too dangerous to stay in one place. Ruby continues to run across the field, looking for a sign of Sapphire or Hyacinth. Wherever they are, Ruby hopes they are safe…_

 _Huddling in a mass with several others, Ruby listens to Rose speak. There has been a lull in the fight. Both sides have taken time to to regroup, gather their dead, and prepare for the next wave of conflict. A solemn pile of gems shards rests in the center of the clearing the Crystal Gems made into their temporary base. Laid out near the treeline are all the poofed but uncracked Gems. Rose decided they needed time to heal and not be forced back into combat, and so there they sit._

 _Ruby only half listens as Rose talks. Her mind is set firmly on Sapphire. Is she still out there in the bushes? Somewhere in the pile of dead? Ruby buries her face in her hands, fighting back tears._

" _...information that Homeworld has captured several prisoners and holds them on one of the larger ships."_

 _Ruby perks up at the sound of Pearl's report._ "Prisoners?" _A small ounce of hope grows in Ruby's heart. Sapphire may be alive! A prisoner, yes, but alive!_

" _With the halt in the fighting, we're going to send a rescue team in here," Pearl says as she points to a spot on the holographic map projecting from her gem. "Then we can maneuver around to the prisoner ship. We need a few volunteers to go on this mission. Be warned, it is going to be incredibly dangerous and there is a slim chance of success."_

 _Ruby's hand flies into the air before Pearl is done speaking. If there's any hope of finding Sapphire, Ruby_ has _to be there to help._

" _Anyone else?"_

 _An ominous silence hangs above the clearing. No one else raises their hand. Ruby looks around, confused. A few Gems cast her sympathetic gazes, but most avert their eyes. Why is no one else volunteering? Surely they want to help find their fellow Crystal Gems._

 _Rose steps forward. "Ruby, thank you for coming along. You, Pearl, and I will go to the ship while Morganite," Rose gestures to a lean pink Gem standing against a tree, "leads everyone who remains. Unless anyone else wants to join, that is." Her eyes scan the sad group. Still no one speaks up. Ruby looks at her teammates, disappointed._

 _Hoots from an owl fill the silence of the night. In the sky, stars twinkle gently like gemstones in the sky. A crescent moon hangs lazily above the silent field. A gentle breeze rustles the grass to and fro. All is calm._

 _All, except the crunching of three sets of feet moving across the field. The shadows hide their forms from enemy lookouts, who likely wouldn't have noticed them in broad daylight. One guard is asleep, the others staring with glazed eyes into the distance._

 _Rose leads Pearl and Ruby towards the Homeworld armada. The prisoner are supposedly held on the cell ship. It's a smaller vessel compared to the mothership, but larger than the standard ones. However, the cell ship is heavily armored and guarded. To break in, the team plans to sneak around and drill into the hull of the ship and bring the prisoners out._

 _Several hundred feet from the ship, Rose raises her hand and the others stop behind her. A guard posted on the outskirts stands mere feet away from their spot in the bushes. Rose turns to Pearl. "Silent and quick."_

 _Pearl moves forward. Ruby watches as the pale Gem grips a pebble and throws it at the guard. It hits them between the eyes and the guard curses in annoyance. She marches towards the source of the projectile, and Ruby ducts further down. A sickening noise followed by a poof inform Ruby that Pearl has successfully taken out the guard. The lieutenant returns, holding the guard's gemstone. Delicately, Rose takes hold of it, bubbles it, and sends it away._

" _Let's go," she says._

 _They inch closer to the ship. It nestles in a clearing similar to the Crystal Gem's base. The dim light of the thin moon illuminates the eery green metal of the ship. Seven guards surround it, seemingly more attentive than those in the outskirts. The rescue team sneaks around to the back. At least three guards would notice if they came any closer and the rest of the patrol would quickly follow. A direct attack won't work._

 _Contemplating, Rose turns towards Pearl, who immediately stands taller. "Pearl?"_

" _Yes?"_

" _Can you project a hologram or two towards the left?" She gestures across the clearing. "Maybe it will distract the guards."_

 _Pearl nods. She twirls as light begins to pour from her gem. A figure of light appears in the clearing. It looks like a Gem with their weapon drawn. One of the guards notices and shouts in surprise as Pearl moves the figure. Several more holographic Gems appear. Three other guards notice the commotion and chase after the light figures. The plan seems to be working so far._

 _One of the few remaining guards catches a glint off the beam in her eye. Her gaze roams over to their hiding spot until she and Ruby make eye contact._

" _Hey!"_

 _Uh oh._

" _Ruby! Go, quickly!"_

 _Nimbly, Ruby leaps over the bush and run towards the guard. No one else appears to notice. Pearl's distraction is working. Rushing at the guard, Ruby summons her gauntlet. She leaps above the guard's head and swings it down. The impact sends a jolt up Ruby's arm as the guard's body explodes in a flash of light. Her light green gem falls to the ground._

 _Once the gem is bubbled, Rose, Pearl, and Ruby dash to the base of the ship. They have mere moments until the other guards catch on to their trick. Rose leads the others underneath the ship. Her face scrunches up in concentration as she thinks about the ship's layout. After a little consideration, Rose moves to a spot near the northwest of the ship's center. "Here," she declares._

 _Pulling her spear out, Pearl lines up where Rose points. A beam of energy shoots out from the spear's tip, cutting a clean circle into the ship's underbelly. A six foot wide slab of metal falls silently to the ground. Rose catches it and gently lowers it the rest of the way. She then cups her hand to boost Ruby and Pearl into the ship, following in after with a powerful leap. They made it in. All that's left is to find the prisoners and leave. Easy, right?_


End file.
